What a fantastic celebration of our feast day last week. Thank you to all involved in making this a success and that includes the volunteers, staff, students and families that joined us for the family picnic. We are so grateful for beautiful weather, great company and a chance to celebrate our school community.

When asking a student this week what their favourite part of the day was: the common response was working with buddies or having their family join them for a picnic. There was the occasional Spirit Step walker but the sense coming together was a standout. There certainly was "Strength in the Spirit".

Our building project is coming along and is planned to be complete this July. We will get the Library back first and then our Tuckshop / Bigray space soon after. These are exciting times and we thank everyone for their patience. It will be worth the wait.

A comment to myself this week was that our students and families show beautiful respect through saying a simple good morning or afternoon when you meet them along a path. Families that are on a tour as part of their interviews have also commented on this. It is great to see our value of the week, Respect, alive and well at Holy Spirit Catholic School. A simple gesture can mean so much.

I’m sure all those who were able to join us on Holy Spirit Day, would agree that it was a wonderful day of celebrations. Commencing with our Liturgy; who could forget our youngest actors and the beautiful signing from grade 1C? Townsville certainly turned on the perfect weather for our walk along the river, the red hats as far as the eye could see, and then to return to a picnic with friends and family. Our students enjoyed fun in their year levels and then activities with their buddy classes. Thank you to all our generous volunteers, who without we wouldn’t be able to provide this opportunity for our students.

Last Thursday our senior students wrapped up Season 1 Interschool sports.  Some of our teams brought home the trophies for their hard work but all students who participated came back with a little more confidence to ‘have a go’, new skills and a sense of pride in representing our school. Needless to say, they are eager to commence Season 2.  With Season 2 just around the corner, we are hoping to offer Football (Soccer), Touch, Tennis and Rugby Union.  

From one sporting endeavour to another, families will have received information and permission notes for our upcoming Interhouse Athletics Carnival. All our students have been busy practising for their sprints.  Our younger students may be learning old favourites like Captain Ball and Under and Over in preparation for the day, whilst our 9-year-olds and up will be having a go at Long Jump and Shot Put. Again, this day relies on the generosity of volunteers. Please don’t feel like you need to know about Athletics to help us, we can explain the job to you!  It is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents, get to know the teachers and of course, watch our students participate. It is also another day in our calendar where our school community works together showing the SPIRIT Way.

Regards

Nicole Lennox

The first Sunday after Pentecost is celebrated as the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity.  “Trinity” means something made up of three.  This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Trinity and give thanks for the three persons of God (John 3:16-18).  God the Father created the world and everything in it.  He loved us so much he sent God the Son to show us how to live with goodness.  God the Spirit empowers our hearts to live God’s word with courage and love.  We also remind ourselves of the Holy Trinity each time we make the sign of the Cross before we pray.  ‘In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’…  So in the coming week as we invite God to be with us in the sign of the cross, let’s all be grateful and give thanks for the many blessings we receive from God and the people in our lives.

This week at Holy Spirit Catholic School, we value respect.  Having respect for someone means you think good things about who a person is or how he or she acts.  Respect also means that you accept somebody for who they are, even when they are different from you or you don’t agree with them.  We often use the value of respect in schools when we are speaking with children and how they treat others.  We reinforce that showing respect to someone means they act in a way that shows they care about their feelings and well-being.  This week we pray that our students show respect for others by thinking and acting in a way that shows others they care about their feelings and their well-being, not calling each other names, treating each other with courtesy and caring about themselves.  

Congratulations to our students who received the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist recently with the Holy Spirit Parish.  It was lovely to see our students supported in their faith by their families for this special occasion. 

This week is National Reconciliation Week and this year’s theme is Be a Voice for Generations.  The theme encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise.  For the work of generations past, and the benefit of generations future, act today for a more just, equitable and reconciled country for all.  National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June – is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.  To find out more go to https://nrw.reconciliation.org.au/    #NRW2023 

God bless.

Caroline Fuller

Throughout 2023, our school will be working closely with The Resilience Project to support the wellbeing of our school community. 

The Resilience Project delivers emotionally engaging programs and provides evidence-based, practical strategies to build resilience. 

We would like to share The Resilience Project’s Parent & Carer Hub with you. Here you will find a variety of information, videos and activities that outline the key pillars of resilience: Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy.

This program is an important part of our school’s effort to look after the mental health of our community.

To view the Parent and Carer Hub, click on this link: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-engage/

Holy Spirit Catholic School uses Flexischools ordering system.  To register, login or to place orders, please click this link:  

Flexischools

ROSTER
01.06.23	Rose McSherry
02.06.23	Sue Viviers, Virginia Novinetz
05.06.23	Kerri Player
06.06.23	Sifa Ayinkamiye
07.06.23	Rebecca McLennan, Anita Coggiola
08.06.23	Anne Fisher
09.06.23	Sue Viviers, Virginia Novinetz
12.06.23	Nicole Boon, Brooke Vass
13.06.23	Sarah Myles
14.06.23	Christine Nash

CAKE    (We are kindly accepting donations of packet cakes only at this time)
01.06.23	Jo Leviston
02.06.23	Therese Lynch
05.06.23	Allyce Rawnsley, Loren Parker, Sandra Greenway
06.06.23	Sarah Flanagan
08.06.23	Cathy Duvel, Kerri Lovatt
12.06.23	Kathryn Cripps, Lanie Hedger, Melissa Smith
14.06.23	Samantha Adame
FRUIT
05.06.23	Allyce Rawnsley, Jinomon Thomas, Loren Parker, Vicki Darr
09.06.23	Kate Smith
12.06.23	Emily Lyons, Kathryn Cripps

In this edition of SchoolTV - THE STATE OF YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH - AU

Parents and carers can play a crucial role  in their children's mental health. As a result, staying informed on the current state of youth mental health is vital, as it not only affects individuals, but also families and communities. According to recent research, the frequency of mental health disorders among young people is increasing, with anxiety, depression, and self-harm being among the most common challenges.

One of the reasons being attributed to this rise is the heightened stress and anxiety that many young people face in today's society. Academic success, social media, and family issues are all influencing factors. Many young people are still suffering the long-term consequences of the pandemic, such as social isolation, uncertainty, and loss.

Parents can play an important role in their children's mental health. Creating a safe and open environment for your children to talk about their emotions, thoughts, and feelings is vital. Encouraging healthy habits like regular exercise, a balanced diet, and proper sleep can help reduce their stress levels and boost your child's overall mental health. There are also many resources and services available to children, adolescents, and their families, such as school counsellors, various mental health organisations, support lines, and of course, mental health professionals. It is important to remember that seeking help is a show of strength, not weakness, and that early intervention is critical in addressing young people's mental health difficulties.

This edition of SchoolTV, discusses some of the major mental health issues affecting young people and how to support a child experiencing them. 

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact your child’s teacher for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the The State of Youth Mental Health - AU edition of SchoolTV
https://hsstsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/state-youth-mental-health

We are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8am-8.25am in the hall.

Your support with donations of spreads (not nut based) and bread are needed and appreciated, due to the increase in children accessing the program.

Donations can be dropped off at Tuckshop.

FIND OUT FIRST!

DMFS Townsville has an Eventbrite page. Tickets for all DMFS events are uploaded to Eventbrite for registration. Events are uploaded at different times throughout the month.

To avoid missing out on tickets, follow the page to receive an instant notification when events are released.

To opt-in to receive notifications directly from our Eventbrite page, all you need to do is:

• Follow the DMFS Townsville Eventbrite page
• Register your details
• Download the Eventbrite app
• Enable push notifications

Defence Member and Family Helpline

For advice, support or local community information, contact our all-hours Defence Member and Family Helpline. Run by Defence Member and Family Support, the helpline is the best way to access the programs and services that we offer to help Defence families manage the military way of life.

The helpline is available 24/7 and is staffed by qualified human services professionals, including social workers and psychologists.

Dear Families,

We are writing to inform our families the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) on School Students with Disability (NCCD) census date is drawing near.

The NCCD is a collection that counts the number of school students receiving an adjustment or ‘help’ due to disability, and the level of adjustment they are receiving to access education on the same basis as other students.

Students are counted in the NCCD if they receive ongoing adjustments at school due to disability. This ‘help’ allows them to access education on the same basis as a child without disability. The NCCD uses the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

Please find the information letter attached. To view more information the fact sheet can be found here.

If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Taryn Pickering (Prep – Year 2) or Angela Bourne (Year 3 – 6).

Kind regards,
Taryn Pickering and Angela Bourne.

If your child is going to be absent, please enter the details through Compass, as this is the most efficient way to inform the school.

All uniform supplies are available at The School Locker, Domain Central (close to Bunnings).  Phone 1800 826 155

The School Locker